Saints For Champions League Under Hendrie

[Guest jim]

There doesn't seem to be any consensus on who Tom Hendries replacement should be amongst the fans so you are probably best sticking by him and hope for 8th place.

[Tennant's Lager]

We should have been murdering sides like Clyde, Arbroath Ross County and Partick?! WTF?!

No - we should have expected hard games against all those sides and that's exactly what we got. Tie in the "lose a late goal" problem then it's clear to see where we were going to go. Last season we had a far weaker squad in the forward line. Cameron and Mendes this season - last season it was McGarry and Quitongo. I don't really need to say much more than that. Sure, the defence is struggling to hell and is prolly a bit weaker as losing Trig, Nico and even big Sky (who practically played every competitive minute last season) was going to harm us as Buddy has said. However, we've brought in Robb and Broadfoot, and Lowing has made the step up as well. I'd say those 3 players if given time, can and will do a job for us, along with McGowan and Denham whenever he's fit. Losing Fellner was a blow, but prolly not a fatal one. Sure, TH has to shoulder the blame for the defensive selection and organisation on Saturday - I cannot possibly say against that, but I'd have to wait and see what happens in a few more games (end of the first quarter as Buddy has said?) before leaping into any kind of big decision like this.

Everyone now admits to the problems we have, that have been obvious for a few games now - give TH a few more games to solve it. If he can't, then alright, but I'm sure that's what the board are going to do...all of us saying he must be sacked by Saturday is a little silly imho, and only puts more pressue on TH to succeed...and don't give me the bs line of "I'm sure comments on here won't affect him" - I'll be listening for what's being sung/shouted on Saturday and every week after that...

[Guest saint hits the net]

Jim, I have already said elsewhere that I think Sandy Clark could get

more out of the current squad than Tom Hendrie appears to be capable of

doing - at the moment anyway. I have also said that Clark has the knack

of finding good young players - something St Mirren always seemed to do when

Joe Hughes was at the club....

[Reidy1987]

"Losing Nico"???? What the feck are you on, TL? Nico hardly kicked a ball for us last season. Why? Because Hendrie decided that his personal feud with him was more important than success on the field. Now he's doing the same, by all accounts, to Jamie McGowan. His time is up, he must go. End of story.

[Guest saint hits the net]

Your comment, T.L, about expecting hard games is fair enough but you can still expect difficult games yet knowing you have the confidence to defeat these sides. If a manager moans and complains and insists that we're expecting too much then that attitude will surely rub off on the players - where once there was confidence let there now be doubt .

Your comment about the strike force compared to last season is obviously cancelled out by the difference of defence from last/this term. The defence was stronger last season yet we still conceded (3 v Partick, 3,5 v Falkirk, 3 (cup) 4 v Ayr, 3 v Arbroath, 4 v Ross County to name but a few. I think we should really be worried this year.

[Sergie's no1 fan]

I leave the forum for 3 days and the place is ANTI- HENDRIE . I am shocked

[Guest Pete]

its anti- baltacha, the man is a big stecky wimp, who runs like a poof

[Tennant's Lager]

Your comment, T.L, about expecting hard games is fair enough but you can still expect difficult games yet knowing you have the confidence to defeat these sides. If a manager moans and complains and insists that we're expecting too much then that attitude will surely rub off on the players - where once there was confidence let there now be doubt .

Your comment about the strike force compared to last season is obviously cancelled out by the difference of defence from last/this term. The defence was stronger last season yet we still conceded (3 v Partick, 3,5 v Falkirk, 3 (cup) 4 v Ayr, 3 v Arbroath, 4 v Ross County to name but a few. I think we should really be worried this year.

I did mention the defence being weaker Saint Hits The Net - however, I remain convinced that if we give the young boys a chance, they can do well for us.

As for TH - I concede that there is only a small gap between pessimism and realism, but really, any manager is in a no-win situation with post-match comments. If he says it was a terrible performance against opposition that we should have whipped, he loses out on both taking the opposition too lightly and makes it obvious that he's at fault, and that some players are at fault as well. If he gives the excuse of individual errors, it puts pressure on those individuals and himself to try and stamp them out. If he says that we are good enough to win the league and that we are just going through a bad patch, he will be accused of sticking his head in the sand.

Has enyone else here seen "Mike Basset: England Manager"? I'm reminded of the Rudyard Kipling "If" poem to be honest with you:

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master,

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!

Could'nt have said it better myself!

[Guest The Real Wee Greig]

!!!

[Guest The Real Wee Greig]

it would be good if S.Clark became manager as it would me we would have to listen to him talk p!sh on scotsports every week...

[Guest saint hits the net]

A poster of Kiplings poem hangs on my wall T.L - but I think in this instance

we're better off with Telly Savalas and his version of "IF" which begins

with the lines ...

If a picture paints a thousand words then it's time for Tom to Go - before

the world will know - how low the Saints can go (or words to that effect )

[shull]

St mirren will be playing champions league football within five years under hendrie. Is two and a half years enough time to change a team heading for the second division into a premier league team? I think not. Bone was given a seven year plan

to change st mirren into a good team and what did he do? DID HE WIN THE LEAGUE? Given time we will get back to the premier and i can see us finishing second in the premier within five years.

I thought we might under Sir Tom.

[insaintee]

Shull Jaked

[Magic Monkey]

This thread just goes to show the debates on this place never actually change: just the names involved.

I wonder if those calling for Tom Hendrie's head would have been doing so had they known who his successor would be...? Insert Danny Lennon for Tom Hendrie and hey presto, you've gone forward in time 12 years.

I always thought TH and DL were very similar as Saints managers. Both plucked from lower leagues, both had firm successes you could point to, both brought in some dodgy/desperate loan signings, both seemed to lose the lot and/or dressing room as time went on.

I certainly hope DL has more luck than TH with the rest of his career.

[cambiebud]

The big difference being that DL won a national trophy and yet, despite taking the club to 8th place, was shown the door, with no real plan to replace him. He did not even get the chance to get a thoroughly deserved ovation after what turned out to be his last game. Thought it was very badly handled and I for one, wish him all the best.

[Magic Monkey]

Yeah I'd agree with that. As soon as Championship chairmen start getting twitchy this season, you'd imagine DL will be in with a shot at most vacancies at that level. You could imagine him ending up at a Falkirk/Raith/Queens/Dunfermline (I know they're 1st Division) and doing a decent job.